Meet Justin R. Jordan
Known to friends as JJ, Senator, and Mr. Chef Lobbyist, Justin R. Jordan describes himself as charismatic, thoughtful and having a passion for his profession and life in general. His ten-gallon cowboy hats, boots, southern accent, and outgoing personality exude Texas swagger. Justin was born in Midland, Texas and moved to Houston when he was 9 years old.
While growing up in Midland, he spent a great deal of time with his grandparents and started learning how to cook with his mother and great-grandmother at the age of 6. Once he and his mother moved to Houston, he wasn’t eating those fresh, full-course meals so he called his grandmother and great-grandmother to walk him through how to prepare those dishes, leaving his mother with extremely high long-distance phone bills. He has a passion for cooking and food. It is just one of Justin’s hobbies that relaxes him and allows him to showcase his creativity fusing different cultures and cuisines.
Justin always had a passion politics as he worked on various political campaigns while attending Clear Brook High School. He wanted to be well-versed in public policy and politics, so he enrolled as a public affairs major at Texas Southern University where he was a social activist. He ran PR campaigns for 13 years until he moved into more fulfilling work. Justin is now a lobbyist for Cornerstone Government Affairs, one of the top 10 firms based in Washington, DC, where he represents a diverse portfolio of clients across the city. He enjoys helping organizations to receive state and federal funding to expand and fuel the grown the growth in the region. To Justin, it is a great feeling that mayors, senators, county commissioners, state legislators and business leaders know him on a first name basis.
His favorite memory of Houston is going to Astroworld every summer where he learned to manage money and time for an all-day experience of fun. To Justin, Houston is a city of opportunity where you can be a global citizen. We have the most consulates than any other city and you can literally touch any country in the world. When it comes to food, you can have any cuisine you want. For business and commerce, there are unlimited opportunities, but you have to be engaged in the process at all levels. People living in the suburbs and the city can enjoy everything Houston has to offer because it’s a great place to live.
Justin’s other interests include cigars, wine, bourbon, antique cars, traveling, fishing, reading biographies and cookbooks, and listening to blues and southern soul music and music that ranges from the 1930’s to 1980s. These are all things he enjoys with his kitchen cabinet of friends and mentors as well as his family. What’s next for Justin? Justin wants to multiply everything he’s done from expanding lobbying, opening a business, giving back to the state, or serving on a board or commission. He simply wants to be a resource to the city.
